This houseplant can grow to the size of a small tree indoors.
Equipped with a massive bulbous trunk for storing water,ponytail palmtolerates long stretches of dry conditions.
It also makes an easy-to-grow houseplant perfect for tabletops, nightstands, and coffee tables.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Occasionally known as elephant’s foot tree, ponytail palm is not a palm at all.
Where to Plant Ponytail Palm
A desert plant, ponytail palm is adapted to bright sun.
Place it near a window where it will receive as much light as possible.
Credit: Denny Schrock
This plant can be moved outside for the summer.
How and When to Plant Ponytail Palm
Plant ponytail palms in shallow pots.
you might plant them any time as indoor plants.
Choose a container with excellent drainage and fill it with balanced potting soil.
After planting, keep your ponytail palm watered and in sunlight and it will do fine.
Ponytail Palm Care Tips
Ponytail palm is a very easy houseplant to care for.
It is, however, slow-growing, so you’ll need to be patient.
Light
Ponytail palm grows best in full sun.
Give it as much bright light as possible when grown indoors.
Soil and Water
Aquick-draining soil mixfor cacti is a great choice for ponytail palm in containers.
To create quick drainage, you might incorporate sand or small gravel into regular potting mix.
If grown outdoors, it can be planted in sandy soil with rich organic properties.
Watering ponytail palmdiffers from summer to winter.
In summer, water ponytail palm deeply but infrequently, allowing the plant to dry out before watering again.
Reduce watering significantly in winter.
In its native environment, ponytail palm receives little or no water in winter.
Mimic those conditions by watering the plant deeply every few weeks in winter.
Temperature and Humidity
A little cool weather is fine for ponytail palmsbut no cooler than 50oF.
It does best in dry conditions with temperatures above 60oF.
Use a general all-purpose plant food and follow manufacturer’s instructions for the amount to use.
Pruning
Brown leaf tips are common in winter and aren’t cause for alarm.
Simply snip off the brown ends to clean up the plant’s appearance.
Potting and Repotting Ponytail Palm
The size of your pot will determine the size of your tree.
Confining its roots will keep it healthy and limit its growth.
Pests and Problems
Ponytail palms may have thesame problemsas other houseplants, including spider mites and mealybugs.
Use horticultural soap or oil to eliminate these pests without using chemicals.
Leaf spots, root rot, and bacterial leaf streak are unusual but possible infections.
Too much water is often the cause of these issues.
How to Propagate Ponytail Palm
The easiest way to propagate ponytail palms is via pup division.
Cut the pup from the parent plant using sharp pruning shears but venture to avoid severing the roots.
Dip the cut end of the pup in rooting hormone and plant it in a separate container.
Water the pup and place it in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight each day.
Keep the soil slightly moist for a few weeks and monitor your pup until it establishes itself.
It does best in high-light situations.
It grows 8 feet tall and can be grown outdoors in zones 9-11.
Outdoors, it can grow up to 30 feet.
Ponytail palms are considered non-toxic and safe to have around cats and dogs.
It’s thought to look like an elephant’s foot.
Like many other succulents, the ponytail palm has a rather shallow root system.
For this reason, they prefer shallow pots where they can absorb moisture quickly and grow a little root-bound.
